#AAtakesonSeoul

(A JOURNEY OF SELF-DISCOVERY + SISTERHOOD)

What Is The #AAtakesonSeoul Tour?

This tour is a tribute to my most favourite City ever - Seoul. I go back to it every year, staying for at least a month long, and I love it for many reasons, but predominantly because it's the City that has really pushed me to find myself.

I started my very first vlog in the city. It's also the place where I first confronted my identity as a Hijab wearing Muslimah. And Seoul is also the place that has helped me re-calibrate my purpose, re-discover my passion and a city that has allowed me to really take time for some much-needed Self-Care.

The #AAtakesonSeoul tour is more than just another typical "LotteWorld + Everland" packaged tour.

From meeting other Sisters from around the world, to soaking in the bustling city + serene nature scape (yes, Seoul has both, Ma Sha Allah!), eating all of the delicious traditional Korean cuisine, dressing up in regal, fit-for-a-queen traditional Hanboks, living together in a swanky apartment with 7 other super fun ladies, having daily "good-for-your-soul" workshop sessions, praying in the Seoul Central Mosque and not to mention the 24/7 onslaught of beautiful, visually stunning and quirky Seoul streets / fashion / cafes - this tour will hopefully inspire you to re-connect with yourself and your Creator and to see life with a pair of new eyes, In Sha Allah.

Who is the #AAtakesonSeoulTour For?

If you've always wanted to see Seoul as a Seoulite , and not like a tourist. (Take the Metro, eat street food, shop at underground places and the whole she-bang)

If you are open to signing up on your own so you can meet 7 other super-nice, super-fun Sisters like yourself. Our aim: for you guys to come as strangers, but leave as family!

If you want more time to connect with the person you’re meant to be

If you want a vacation... but with benefits(the good-for-your-soul kind of benefits)

If you think it's about time you get to be taken care of because you've worked super hard. (HELL YEAH!)

If you want to travel with someone who can help you get THE shot for your IG but also someone who will leave you ample alone time so we wont get sick of each other (i.e.: me and my team :P)

Basically, there will be tons of tour groups with 50 people touring Seoul in a bus. That won’t be us.

(early autumn)

So what's the Itinerary like?

(you mean, what's 7 of the best days of your life will look like?)

Day One / Intentions:Our driver will pick you up from Incheon Airport and whisk you straight to your home for the next 7 days: a super cool mini Villa just for us ladies! It's located in the very hip neighbourhood of Ehwa and once you've settled in and rested for a bit, we'll have a nice catered lunch in our common Kitchen. Once your tummy is all filled up, Alhamdulillah, we'll lounge on the rooftop to get to know the rest of the ladies in the group. We'll also do a super-important "Intention Setting" session (I'll lead, you just listen to your heart!) so that we can get the best out of the next 7 days! Once all that is done, you'll slip into your most comfy shoes coz we're all ready to hit the streets of Ehwa. Explore this cool neighbourhood with a fellow Sister or two, free-and-easy style and then come back whenever you are ready to have dinner back home! (Don't worry, the home is in such a prime location that you'll find your way back easily plus there's no curfew in this home, so take your time! :P)

Day Two / Identity:We are going to soak ourselves in all things cultural today! Whether you choose to wear the traditional Hanbok or not (BUT YOU HAVE TO! IT’S TOO CUTE!), we'll explore the beautiful ancient palace grounds of Gyeongbokgong. We'll then head for lunch in a quaint traditional Korean restaurant where we'll all sit together to play a quick-fire game designed to help you find or re-connect with your identity! Thereafter, we'll head over to meet our friend Jaemin, who’s a native Seoullite, to start on our walking tour. He’ll bring us to a few “hidden secret” spots of Seoul, and share with us a bit of Seoul’s history! (You’ll learn so much! He’s so passionate about this field, all of the girls who went on the tour loved him!)

Once we say goodbye to Jaemin, we’ll then head to Itaewon for dinner. The streets here are lined with super creative street-art, and it’s also where the Seoul Central Mosque is. We’ll do our prayers here and thereafter head over to one of my favourite halal restaurants in Itaewon. By then, you’d want to fill your tummy with a well-deserved scrumptious dinner, as you'd prolly have taken 19736 steps that day!

Day Three / Mindfulness in the City:After breakfast at home, we'll take the subway to the Han River where we'll do an intimate Open Session/ picnic here. We’ll share and discuss about how to stay present and mindful amidst the bustling city backdrop. While we are there, we’ll also take the time to enjoy the breeze and inhale the fresh air. If you wish, you can also cycle along the river if you want to!

With our heart full, we'll then head to Myeongdong! This place is DA BOMB! If you are all about skin-care and all the K-Beauty products, then this is your place. If you are not, this is also where you can get some delicious Halal street-food! You'll spend your time leisurely here, and since the theme for the day is mindfulness in the city - we will be giving you small little activities that you can do to practice mindfulness as you wander around Myeongdong. (It will be extremely doable, so don't worry!)

After that, we’ll head on to DDP to see one of the most stunning piece of architecture in modern times. It’s stunning in the evening, so that’s when we’ll head over, post-dinner!

Day Four / Creativity:We'll start off the day with a super fun floral-candle making workshop run by a very dear friend of mine, Yvonne! Make use of your hands to design your very own beautiful soy scented candle, and uncover your creativity through this private session. It’s not only super therapeutic, but the finished artwork will be a great momento for you to bring home! Once everyone's satisfied with their art, we'll head over to eat lunch in the cutest traditional korean restaurant to have some delicious sujebi and pajeon!

Post-lunch, we’ll head over to two neighbourhoods in Seoul that I believe epitomises “Creativity”: Ikseondong and Insadong. Take your time to busk and immerse in the beautiful street art / winding alleyways, and super IG-worthy backdrops of these two up and coming areas of Seoul.

Day Five / Self-Care:Once everyone is up and ready, we'll head over to Nami Island for a day-trip. As soon as you arrive to Nami, promise me you’ll let the subtle but powerful force of Nature soothe your tired mind, body and heart? You can do this by going for a walk, cycling around the island or having a little picnic with the girls. This is your “self-care” day, so do whatever is best for you! PS: We are specially adding Nami Island this year because it is stunning, Ma Sha Allah, and we wouldn’t want you to miss it!

In the evening, if you are still up for it, we will head over to the super cool streets of Hongdae. This is where you’ll find street performers, the latest fashion, and some of the famous “themed cafes” that you can only get in Seoul!

Day Six / Free and EasyyyyyyIt's your last full day in Seoul before you fly back the next day, so today is DO-WHATEVER-YOU-WANT-DAY! If there was a certain spot that you've always wanted to go back to spend a little bit more time at, today's the day. Or, if you want to do a little bit of shopping, or visiting another scenic place or sourcing for the shooting locations of your fav K-Drama - go right ahead, homie. I'll also recommend you some of my fav places to check out if you have no idea where to go too. The day is yours for the taking! Buuuut, we just ask you to clear your evening because we're planning to take you to this delicious Korean BBQ place for dinner, since it's our last night together and all *sobs

Day Seven / Closing ReflectionI can't even bear to write this part because I'd be so sad to see all of you leave. But before our flight, you'll have a few hours to do any last minute stuff around the neighbourhood and then we'll have one final round of closing reflection up on our rooftop + lunch. Then, *cue tears*

What does thistour include?

Return Direct Flight (from Singapore)

Private Accommodation (twin-sharing)

Return Airport Transfer

Unlimited T-Money Card + Daily Passes (for you to get around Seoul)

Transportation + Ferry to Nami Island

All meals covered for all 7 Days

A traditional Korean BBQ

Hanbok Rental

All Entrance Fees to Places of Interest

All Workshop Materials

+ SUPER AWESOME PEOPLE

What The Girls Are Saying

“Seoul was a spontaneous decision, but one I am immensely grateful for. Aida and Ida planned everything so thoughtfully, from the places we ate to the beds we slept in! Perhaps the most wonderful gift of all was the sisters I met that instantly felt like family. I will never forget the daily adventures and late night hangouts. We laughed and cried and embraced each other wholeheartedly, and embraced the world together. It was magical 💖” - Farhana, Australia, Round 1 of AATakesonSeoul 2018

“Throughout my whole journey in Seoul, never once did I doubt the AA team. I for sure know that we are in good hands. As a first timer going to Seoul, I didn’t have any expectations but after the AA goes on Seoul tour, I found myself falling in love with every inch of the country. And that isn’t the best part, the best part is when I get to meet other sisters from all over the world! These sisters are my friends till today and i never once regretted clicking YES to that Seoul trip. Thank you so much for the unforgettable experience!” - Farahin, Singapore, Round 2 of AATakesonSeoul 2018

“I was slightly apprehensive of taking the dive to spend 1 week in 1 house with 9 other girls. I went with my younger sister and we were in a group of colourful and wonderful girls and we had an A M A Z I N G time! Although most of the time we were overwhelmed from sensory overload - the bustling streets, the beautiful scenery, little critters - we would definitely do it all over again! It was an enjoyable first experience. Everything was organized Ma Shaa Allah and the AA team was accommodating and helpful. It was nothing like the usual customer-supplier relationship. It felt like you were traveling with a group of friends, 2 of which are the "mum and dad" of the group :). Our favourite moments were the mini gatherings we had every night, whether it was to play a game, eat, or just casual conversations. Everyone was so comfortable with one another, it didn’t feel like we just met a few days before. All the food choices were on point and we came out of meals with unbuttoned jeans! We were also never lost or confused on where to go during our free time as they recommended a variety of places we could check out. Each day was well-planned with the next day equally as exciting as the previous. Looking forward to AAx7continents :)!” - Roza, Qatar, Round 2 of AATakesonSeoul 2018

“I didn't think twice when I signed up for the Seoul tour! But as soon as I was chosen, all these doubts started crashing in my mind... I started to get nervous... Wondering if this is a good idea... Wondering if it will be okay once everyone meet... And when the time for us to meet finally came, Alhamdulillah, all my worries were gone. Mummy Aida and mummy Ida took really good care of us. And it feels like all 10 of us have known each other for so long! We become super close! There were tears, laughter and we even created a supper club where we stayed up late and eat and just chill! I miss those times. Joining AA seoul tour is hands down one of the best decisions I have ever made. No regrets. Just love. ❤️” - Nora, Brunei, Round 3 of AATakesonSeoul2018

“My experience with AA in Seoul was everything I imagined and much more masha’Allah. I was already excited to visit a country I had only dreamed of stepping foot in until then, and the AA Team put in every effort to make sure that our time was full of adventure, excitement, and sisterhood. Aida and Ida struck the perfect balance of planning an itinerary and allowing us the freedom and flexibility (and providing relevant information) to explore as we wanted. I loved the moments we experienced together eating on the streets of Hongdae and Myeongdong, prancing around the grounds of Gyeonbokgung in our hanboks, and exploring Ewha university area near our lodging. We had fun conversations with taxi drivers and ajummas on the street, and asked countless strangers to take photos for us. It felt as if Seoul opened up her heart to us, and we embraced each other and jumped in with both feet. One of the best aspects of my experience is meeting the ladies who joined me. The AA team put in a lot of effort to put together a group of ladies who would get along, and subhanAllah despite our differences in age, cultural background, or personality we all gelled together so well. I loved that the team also built in moments in between our sightseeing and shopping to allow us to get to know each other and each of our stories in more depth. By the end of the trip we were all in tears over the thought of saying farewell to those who had become like dear sisters in such a short time.” - Hanya, USA, Round 3 of AATakesonSeoul2018

“I made many, many beautiful memories during the AA Seoul tour. I love it that the trip isn’t those typical, commercialised travel tours where you spend your time leisurely, snap pictures and do typical touristy things. It’s really...raw, in every sense of the word, because we spend pockets of time everyday to reflect, to be mindful and to really get into the core of the self. The best gift during and after the trip was forming strong bonds of friendship with strangers whom I now fondly regard as family. We cooked together, ate together, laughed together and teared together - it was during these moments that made the trip really meaningful. If you’re looking for fun tour interspersed with heartfelt, reflective conversations, then I highly recommend this tour. There is really so so much to gain from the trip.” - Zakiah, Singapore, Round 4 of AATakesonSeoul2018